A system utility company has released a new program that combines system optimization and security. IObit's Advanced SystemCare with Antivirus 2013 is intended to address the performance hit users complain about when running security software by performing PC tune-up functions as it runs.

Antivirus functionality in the new release is provided by the BitDefender antivirus engine. Computer tuning is provided by the company's own tune-up software, Advanced SystemCare PRO. That includes registry cleaning, defragmentation, system tuning, shortcut fixing, privacy sweeping, junk file cleaning, disk repairing, and optimization, among other activities.

"Based on long-term experience in developing system utilities and tracing the market dynamics, we've discovered from users that there is great demand for the integration of security and performance features into one ultimate solution," said Marketing Director Kevin Zhou. He added that he believes the new product is "the world's first combined optimization-security software."

It's priced at $29.95 per year per PC. Advanced SystemCare PRO 5, by comparison, is currently priced at $19.95 annually.

A free trial for Windows 8, 7, Vista, and XP is available at iobit.com.

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Dian Schaffhauser is a writer who covers technology and business for a number of publications. Contact her at dian@dischaffhauser.com.